The market has quite a scatter of luxury SUV’s, and since you’d be paying a lot of money for one, it becomes a daunting task to select just which one is the best for you. Competing with the 2018 Bentley Bentayga are 3 other heavy duties in this field, namely – Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography, Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65 and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. Read on to find out who gets to take the floor for the best of the rest.
2018 Bentley Bentayga Trims and Features
$195,000 is the price of the base model of this luxury SUV. At such an exorbitant rate, the English marque offers a wide range of opulent features and bells and whistles one would expect to find in a Bentley, known for their grandeur and powerful automobiles.
If, and shockingly, the base model does not meet your expectations, Bentley offers another trim with more extensive list of opulent features and luxuries. That will cost you a whopping $298,000- yes, all that does comes at a colossal price.
Both the trims offer the same powertrains with only difference being the features and conveniences offered.
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Trim
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Bentley Bentayga Mulliner
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MSRP
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$195,000
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$298,000
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Key
Features
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· Air suspension with adjustable ride height and performance settings
· 8” Infotainment system with navigation
· 21” alloy wheel
· 60-40 Folding Split-Bench
· Four-zone climate control
· A panoramic sunroof
· Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column
· Cruise Control
· Keyless ignition
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· Chrome Bodyside Moldings
· Front Windshield -inc: Electrically Heated Glass
· Chrome Grille
· Sport Heated Leather Steering Wheel w/Auto Tilt-Away
· Dual Zone Front And Rear Automatic Air Conditioning
· Leather/Chrome Gear Shift Knob
· 14-Way Power Passenger Seat
· Heated Front Bucket Seats
· 22” Mulliner wheel - light grey painted with polished packets
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We recommend
Frankly, for the price, even the base model would suffice for you’d get pretty much the top of most premium features. We’d stick to the base model.
Towing Capacity
Ability to tow a mammoth 7,716 pounds, the Bentley Bentayga is rather impressive for a heavy duty SUV. Want to pull a trailer? Or that boat lying in your garage? Sure, the Bentley has your back. The rest of the competition has the same towing capacity, with only the Mercedes trailing by mere 16 pounds.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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Towing Capacity (lbs.)
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7,716 lbs.
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7,716 lbs.
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7,700 lbs.
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7,716 lbs.
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“The Bentayga exceeds expectations thanks to unbelievable acceleration coupled with impressive handling that doesn't compromise the ultra-luxury ride quality.” - edmunds
Engine and Transmission
Careful not to jab the throttle too hard or the shredded piece of machinery under the hood might just snap your neck. Propelling all the wheels is Volkswagen’s W12 6.0L twin-turbocharged engine married to an 8-speed automatic transmission which snaps gears just as as effortlessly as you can snap your fingers.
The car is powerful to drive, and as you go through each driving modes, it gets wilder and stronger. Smooth and excellent performance infused with accurate and smooth gear shifts make the SUV an excellent power-mixed-luxury 4-wheeler.
The most powerful SUV in this field would be the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65, closely followed by the Bentley. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and the Range Rover SVautobiography complete the four-way battle.
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Models
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Bentley Bentayga
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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MSRP
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$195,000
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$177,200
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$222,700
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$161,600
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Engine
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Twin-Turbocharged 6.0L W12
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5.0L Supercharged V-8
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6.0L V12 Biturbo
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Twin Turbo Premium Unleaded V-8 4.8 L/293
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Transmission
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8-Speed Automatic
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8-Speed Automatic
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7-Speed Automatic
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8-Speed Automatic
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Horsepower
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600hp @ 5000 rpm
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557hp @ 6,000 rpm
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621hp @ 5,500 rpm
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570hp @ 6,000 rpm
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Torque
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664 lb.-ft. @ 1,350 rpm
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561 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm
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738 lb.ft.@ 2,300 rpm
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590 lb.-ft. @ 2,500 rpm
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Acceleration
Touting this souped-up SUV to be swift as a fly getting away from getting squatted would actually be an understatement. 0-60s takes a rapid 4 seconds for this 5379 pounds heavy duty.
Having said that, the surprisingly lesser powerful Porsche Cayenne Turbo S shaves off 0.2s from the Bentley. But, is such a tiny difference even noticeable in the real world? The Range Rover together with its Mercedes’ counterpart take 5.1s and 5.2s respectively, way off the mark of the two leaders.
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Models
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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0-60 MPH
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4.0
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5.1 sec
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5.2 sec
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3.8 sec
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Quarter mile
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N/A
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13.2 sec
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N/A
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12.4 sec
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Engine
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6.0L
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5.0L
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6.0L
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4.8L
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Emission
(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
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11.8
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11.0
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14.7
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10.4
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Ride and Handling
Light and consistent steering glides the car towards where you steer it. Best part about the entire car is its ability to manipulate you into thinking this isn’t an SUV. Controlling the handling is the Active Air Suspension, which literally feels like driving in air; although drive over hard bumps and you’d not feel the airy feeling you’d hitherto been going flowing through. Overall, the car still handles well with comfort and ease.
Braking
As good as the W12 under the hood propels all the wheels of the Bentayga on the tarmac, the brake calipers stopping them are excellent judging them by standards of a 5379 pound SUV. The pedals feel firm and albeit exhibiting softness, it behaves effectively with excellent feedback from the same.
Under the competition, the Porsche has massive brake-rotor measurements and also unbelievable stopping power from 60-0 mph in 106 ft.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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Brake Front (in.)
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15.8
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15.0
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14.8
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16.5
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Brake Rear (in.)
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15.0
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14.4
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13.0
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15.6
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Curb Weight (lbs.)
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5379
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5505
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5691
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4927
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60-0 MPH (ft.)
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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106
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The 2018 Bentley Bentayga is a fuel guzzler. For all it’s worth, it still is average for its type, delivering 14 mpg in city, 20 mpg on highway and a combined mpg of 16. Infact, every car in this field faces the same issue. While the best performers battle it out pretty closely, the worst is no doubt by the powertrain underneath the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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MPG (city)
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14
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14
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11
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14
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MPG (highway)
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20
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19
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13
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21
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MPG (combined)
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16
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16
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12
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17
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“Swaddled in the gratifying richness and comfort of the Bentayga’s cabin, why deciding to make this car must have been such a no-brainer for Bentley. Look around the interior and practically everything you can see, hear, touch and interact with speaks of outstanding substance, technical sophistication, tactile allure and rare craftsmanship.” – autocar
Seating and Comfort
Get inside the Bentayga, and immerse yourself in its opulent, roomy and spacious cabin. From premium leather-stitched steering wheel, leather seating to highly polished Burr Veneer dashboard, the Bentley gives out a rich and grandeur feeling. Go up the trim and you’d find even more premium luxuries that’d just boggle your mind.
Seating 5, the SUV has great legroom and headspace for both, the front and back, seaters. Comfortable and plush seats enrich further the experience of grandeur in the Bentley Bentayga.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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Passenger capacity
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5
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5
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5
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5
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Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
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40.3/NA/41.7
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39.5/60.7/42.2
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42.4/46.3/52.5
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39.6/58.9/40.6
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Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
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38.0/NA/40.9
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39.1/59.5/37
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40.1/56.3/41.9
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39.0/57.0/36.0
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Interior features
Some features offered in the car are as follows:
- Full Simulated Suede Headliner
- Leather/Chrome Gear Shift Knob
- Leather Door Trim Insert
- Rear HVAC w/Separate Controls
- Full Carpet Floor Covering -inc: Carpet Front And Rear Floor Mats
Infotainment System
The Infotainment system on the Bentayga is controlled on an 8-inch colour LCD display. Easy to use and intuitive, the system is one not as impressive as its competitors in the market. Some features of the infotainment system include:
- Navigation system
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- 60 GB hard drive
- 10-speaker audio system
Cargo Volume
While being impressive on mostly all fronts, the Bentley begins to show its weakness, albeit a mild one, in the cargo it allows to occupy. With the rear seats intact, the 4-doored SUV can hold 17.1 cube feet of cargo while folding the seats will get you a generous 62.6 cube feet.
The rest of the field allow a more generous cargo volume, with the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65 offering a spacious 24.5 cube feet with rear seats intact and a massive 79.5 cube feet with rear seats folded. The Range Rover comes a far 2nd while the Porsche Cayenne beats the Bentley only with rear seats up.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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Cargo Volume with rear seats up (ft.3)
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17.1
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24.5
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38.6
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23.7
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Cargo Volume with rear seats down (ft.3)
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62.6
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68.6
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79.5
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60.2
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“Elegance is the order of the day, and the Bentayga has it in abundance. Like its sedan and coupe counterparts, the Bentayga sports a long hood that's made longer by a gently sloping windshield that arcs into the vast roofline. The roof drops into a fast rear window and connects with a long rear overhang that drapes the Bentley's wide rear fenders.” – thecarconnection
Dimensions and Weight
The Bentayga is a big car. Period. Measuring longest, the car is a mix-match between all its rivals in this field. With a ground clearance of 8.0, scrapes to the underbelly won’t be of a major concern. While the weight is a hefty 5379 pounds, the car performs stellar with very nimble handling and excellent power delivery.
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Model
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Bentley Bentayga Onyx Edition
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Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic SWB
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Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
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Curb weight (lbs.)
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5379
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5505
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5691
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4927
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Length(in)
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202.4
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196.8
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187.5
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191.1
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Width(in)
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78.7
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81.6
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76.3
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78.7
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Height(in)
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68.6
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73.3
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76.3
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67
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Ground clearance (in)
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8.0
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8.7
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7.7
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7.6
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Wheelbase (in)
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117.9
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115.0
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112.2
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114.0
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Track width (in) F/R
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66.5/66.7
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66.6/66.3
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59.1/59.1
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65.4/65.9
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Exterior features
Some of the features offered in the luxury SUV are as follows:
- Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers w/Heated Jet
- Lip Spoiler
- Chrome Grille
- large oval exhaust finishers
The Bentayga comes loaded with many safety features, namely:
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control
- ABS And Driveline Traction Control
- Side Impact Beams
- Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
- Automated Parking Sensors
- Blind Spot Sensor
- Forward Collision and Rear Collision
- Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
- Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
- Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
- Airbag Occupancy Sensor
- Power Rear Child Safety Locks
- Back-Up Camera
2018 Range Rover Supercharged SVautobiography Dynamic
Let’s put it this way, the Range Rover performs as good as much as it costs. Having said that, invest 20 grand extra and you get a much better overall drive and more powerful albeit lesser off-roading capability and fuel efficiency. It all depends on how much money you have, for both the cars are a luxury model of their respective manufacturers.
2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG G 65
Costing almost 30 grand more than the Bentley, the AMG G 65 has a meaner look, and that’s all to say about it, really. It gets undercut by the Bentley on almost every level. But, most of all features and safety conveniences offered on the Bentley are offered as standard on the G 65. Worth the 30 grand? You could also purchase them on the Bentayga, effectively bridging the gap.
2018 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Light, great handling, cheap, and powerful; the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S appeals to the hooligans rather than the “laid-back aristocrats”. Falling into the category of sports SUV more than a luxury model, the Porsche still offers an extensive posh features found in cars of this price.
Yet, the Porsche just fails to match its English rival’s jewel-craftsmanship or its muscular aesthetic. If you’re one of those buyers who wouldn’t mind either of them, you’d be saving up 30 grand while being happy with your choice of poison.
Having finally ventured into making SUV’s has paid off handsomely for Bentley. Their famed craftsmanship, quality detailing and powerful performance paves way for easy entry into a more heavy duty craft. While costing a whopping $195,000 for the base model, we can’t help but wonder why some features, considered standard on other vehicles in this price range, have been omitted.
But let’s be honest, if you’ve got this kind of money to buy an automobile, shelling out a couple more bucks won’t really deepen the hole in your rather stuffed pocket.
